Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney wants military and overseas voters in Wisconsin to get more time to return ballots that were sent past a federal deadline. / File/Press-Gazette

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The Associated Press

Republican Mitt Romney's campaign has filed a federal lawsuit seeking more time for military and overseas voters in Wisconsin to return ballots that were sent past a federal deadline.

The campaign on Sunday provided copies of the lawsuit filed in federal court in Madison on Friday.

The campaign earlier this month sent a letter to the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board asking that the deadline for returning military and overseas ballots be extended. A spokesman for the GAB says 44 ballots were sent up to five days after the Sept. 22 deadline.

Federal law requires the ballots to be returned by Nov. 9.

The lawsuit seeks at least five additional days for them to be returned.

A spokesman for the GAB did not immediately respond to a Sunday email seeking comment.